To answer this question, we need to arrange the events in the correct order from the most distant past to the most recent. Here are the events leading up to the Vietnam War:
1. French colonization of Indochina: The French colonized the region of Indochina, which included Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, in the late 19th century.
2. Ho Chi Minh forms the Viet Minh: Ho Chi Minh, a Vietnamese communist revolutionary, founded the Viet Minh in 1941 to fight against French colonial rule and Japanese occupation during World War II.
3. Dien Bien Phu battle: In 1954, the Vietnamese forces, led by General Vo Nguyen Giap, defeated the French in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. This defeat weakened French control over Vietnam and eventually led to their withdrawal.
4. Geneva Conference: The Geneva Conference was held in 1954 to negotiate the future of Indochina after the French withdrawal. As a result, Vietnam was temporarily divided at the 17th parallel, with the communist North under Ho Chi Minh's control and the non-communist South under Ngo Dinh Diem.
5. Gulf of Tonkin incident: In 1964, the USS Maddox, an American naval vessel, reported being attacked by North Vietnamese boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. This incident prompted the U.S. Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized military intervention in Vietnam.
6. U.S. escalation: Over time, the U.S. increased its military involvement in Vietnam, deploying troops, conducting airstrikes, and supporting the South Vietnamese government. This escalation eventually led to the full-scale Vietnam War.
By arranging these events in the correct order, you should have a clear timeline of the events leading up to the Vietnam War.